Wish Dragon

Wish Dragon is a Chinese-American computer-animated comedy film written and directed by Chris Appelhans.

The film is a first feature for Base Animation, the new animation studio that is part of Beijing-based VFX firm BaseFX, and for Chinese super star Jackie Chan. Chan’s Sparkle Roll Media is a producer and co-investor. Production was focused at Base’s new animation studio in Xiamen, southern China.^[1]

The film is produced by Chris Bremble, Aron Warner, Chan, and Qi Jianhong. Executive producers include BaseFX board member Ian Sugarman, Sparkle Roll president Joe Tam, and Base Animation’s Sophie Xiao.^[1]

Summary[]

"In Sony Pictures Animation’s Wish Dragon, Din, a working-class college student with big dreams but small means, and Long, a cynical but all-powerful dragon capable of granting wishes, set off on a hilarious adventure through modern day Shanghai in pursuit of Din's long-lost childhood friend, Lina. Their journey forces them to answer some of life's biggest questions – because when you can wish for anything, you have to decide what really matters."

—Official Netflix synopsis

Plot[]

Din is a working-class college student in Shanghai who dreams of reuniting with his childhood friend Li Na, who moved away ten years ago from their neighborhood with her father, Mr. Wang, and now lives a lavish life. One day, Din is given a teapot by an elderly man, from which emerges Long, a wish dragon. Long informs Din he will grant three wishes to his master, i.e. whoever holds the teapot. Din will be Long's tenth and final master and will free Long from his servitude, allowing him to enter the Spirit world. Subsequently, Din is chased by a trio of goons led by a man named Pockets, sent by Mr. Wang to recover the teapot in hopes of saving his failing business. Din uses his first wish to fight the goons and escape.

The next day, Din and Long arrive at Li Na's birthday party. Din makes his second wish—to temporarily appear as a wealthy princeling for one day, hoping Li Na will notice him and rekindle their friendship. Li Na is disappointed when she realizes her father will not be attending her party. Din, sticking to his disguise as 'Dan', comforts her and they are asked by Mr. Wang (via a video call) to share a meal together. Long warns Din that Li Na will leave him as soon as she finds out his identity, because of their different socioeconomic status.

During the date, Din asks Long for advice on how to act accordingly to his new status, but ends up upsetting Li Na in the process. They both end up in Din's neighborhood after the goons pursue Din again. Din reveals himself to Li Na, and they spend the rest of the day in the neighborhood reliving their childhood pastimes. However, Li Na finally retreats claiming that she has responsibilities and expectations she needs to meet, hurting Din's feelings. Later that night, Din angrily asks Long to make him rich in a last-ditch effort to be respected. Long reveals to Din that in life he was a wealthy and powerful lord whose reign ended in loneliness and tragedy and was punished to become a wish dragon. Long's servitude as a wish dragon is meant to make him appreciate the meaning of life, something he has failed to accomplish with all of his previous masters.

After tracking down Din, Pockets betrays Mr. Wang by taking the teapot for himself and commands the wish dragon to give him a left hand of living gold that turns everything it touches to gold. He then kicks Mr. Wang off of some scaffolding, mortally wounding him in front of Li Na. Din chases the goons, and eventually ends up fighting Pockets on Long's back up while flying in the sky. Pockets corners Din and prepares to hit him with his golden hand, but Long puts himself in the way, causing him to turn to gold. Din unleashes a savage kick to Pockets which causes him to touch himself and also turn into a gold statue. Long's golden form plummets from the sky into the river below and Pockets shatters to pieces against a bridge as he falls. Din, unfortunately is unable to stop Long's statue from sinking to the bottom of a river.

Long finds his human self at the entrance to the Spirit world. Despite being tempted to go through the gates, he pleads with the guardian god of the gate to return to Din because he has not used his third wish. The guardian agrees, on one condition. Din uses his last wish to heal Mr. Wang, and Long disappears.

Sometime later, Mr. Wang starts a restaurant featuring Din's mother's cooking, with both Din and Li Na helping. Din finds a teapot like the one Long resided in and releases him. Long tells Din the condition for his return to Earth was to stay and serve ten more masters. After saying goodbye to Long, Din places the teapot on a carriage driven by the elderly man from the beginning, who is actually the guardian of the gate to the Spirit world.

Cast and Characters[]

John Cho as Long
Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Li Na
Jimmy Wong as Din
Constance Wu as Mom
Will Yun Lee as Mr. Wong
Jimmy O’Yang as Small Goon
Aaron Yoo as Pockets
Bobby Lee as Tall Goon
Ronnie Chieng as Pipa God
Ian Chen as Young Din

Release[]

The film was released in China on January 15, 2021, and streaming on Netflix on June 11, 2021. In August 2024, it was announced that the Sony Pictures Animation movies The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Vivo, and Wish Dragon would be released in the United States throughout early 2024, with Wish Dragon releasing on November 8, 2024, accompanied by the short film The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story.